Beating the Rain
by Faith
Summary: In everybodys life a little rain must fall but for some the storm never ends. Bumlets learns that one long night can change your life forever.


Author's note: I can tell you right now I didn't portray Bumlets or Snitch right at all. This is probably not how most authors would have them behave and I'm sorry for that.  
  
Beating the Rain  
  
By: Faith  
  
The room smelled of whiskey and women, a sent Bumlets had come to know well. The parlor in the brothel was small as this wasn't one of the more well known whorehouses but the women were pretty and the service was good. He liked the smaller ones better anyway. They were much cheaper. A spiral staircase was in the back, leading up to the bedroom chambers where the customers were entertained; third door on the left, that's where he was going. The door closed behind him with a soft click and a light banging noise as the wooden door hit the wooden frame. He stood still and let the young blonde next to him undress him.  
  
Why the hell was he doing this? He didn't use to come to these places nearly every night. He blamed Bittersweet, better known as Bitter to then newsies in New York, for it. It was her fault. The damn blonde should have never told him about Irish Flare's current situation. Of course in a month or so he would have found out if she didn't tell everyone before then. He hated Snitch for doing this to her. He could never love her the way he loved her. If only he could stop himself from loving Flare. If only she loved him back and if only she wasn't pregnant with Snitch's child. God damn Bitter! If it wasn't for her he could get a good nights rest instead of sleeping with every prostitute in every whorehouse he happened to stumble upon each night.  
  
He'd give his life to Flare. She had to of known that, everyone else did. Bitter hadn't done this to get him upset, the opposite actually. She wanted him to be prepared. They were best friends and she knew how much Bumlets loved Flare. She was all he talked about.  
  
A baby... he didn't think she could handle having a baby. Snitch's baby. He wanted it to be his baby. He wanted to be with Flare and he was going to do everything he could to get her to realize she was with the wrong guy.  
  
"You okay?" Bumlets was pulled from his thoughts and stared at the young girl, confused for a moment as to where he was, he hadn't even remembered laying down on the bed and having her strip off her clothes as well. "We can just talk if you want first."  
  
He shook his head, locks of his black hair falling into his eyes; she pushed them away. She was almost the complete opposite of Flare. Her hair was light and her eyes' dark. Her chest was smaller then Flare's as well but just as lovely. And she was younger, almost young enough to make him feel uncomfortable sleeping with her. Almost. She grinned at him, showing off her slightly crooked teeth then proceeded to straddle his waist, Bumlets' hands resting on her thin hips.  
  
He let his mind wonder again as he thought up images of Flare while the girl moved up and down on top of him. He could smell her perfume. It was a musky, stale smell. Nothing like Flare's so he was forced to ignore all of his senses and just focus on the images he conjured up in his mind. Flare wouldn't stay with Snitch, not if he could help it.  
  
He pushed all thoughts of Snitch out of his mind and dreamt up a girl with long, wavy, raven black hair that fell down past her white shoulders and icy blue eyes that seemed to wink at him. A wonderful smile sat on her lips accompanied by dimples and her curvaceous body teased him under a revealing green dress which left little to the imagination. He held her in his arms and kissed her neck then, as could only happen in a fantasy, she stood before him nude. That was as far as it went though, the lust and love he had for her was too great and he suddenly became aware of the throbbing satisfaction brought to him by the prostitute.  
  
~*~*~  
  
"Listen you little slut I know you were with him!" Snitch yelled, slapping the seventeen-year-old girl before him.  
  
Irish Flare looked at him, backing up against the wall in the guest room. The whole side of her face stung and she could feel it grow red from where he hit her. He wasn't even drunk. It would be so much easier to understand his temper if he drank. He stepped toward the raven haired girl threateningly and Flare pushed herself as close to the white painted wall as she could, instinctively putting her hand over the small bulge in her abdomen.  
  
"I wasn't---"  
  
She didn't even get a chance to finish before the bulky eighteen-year-old grabbed her throat with one massive hand. She choked out a sob and put both of her hands over his, trying to pry him off of her. He glared at her, his dark eyes seemingly darker with anger.  
  
"Don't lie to me..."  
  
"Snitch, please..." she begged, just barely getting out the words. "You're hurting me. I wouldn't lie... I wasn't with anybody."  
  
She had been lying but hoped he would realize that. It wasn't what he thought though... she had gone to see a young man about the baby that grew in her womb. She hadn't been sleeping around again but she knew all too well that Snitch wouldn't believe her. Maybe if she told him she was pregnant he'd stop hitting her. No. Then he'd just accuse her of being a slut and that the baby wasn't his, which, in all actuality, was a very real chance.  
  
"You swear to me?" The young man asked her, narrowing his eyes.  
  
His grip on her throat had tightened to the point where she could no longer speak but with a simple nod Snitch released her and she collapses onto the ground, coughing. Snitch watched her for a few minutes then sighed to himself, his eyes becoming soft. Flare looked up at him, rubbing her throat where a bruise was already starting to form. How could she hide this? What excuse could she come up with that would explain a bruise on her neck in the shape of a hand? Bitter wouldn't believe her even if she tried to lie.  
  
Snitch knelt down beside her and lifted her chin, taking a good look at her neck. He sighed again then kissed her lips. Flare had been expecting this. It was his way. Always after a fight or after he hit her he seemed to regret it and come to her lovingly or with a kiss. She tried to forget about the pain in her neck and just reminded herself that he didn't mean it. He never meant it. Besides, it had been her fault. She brought it on herself.  
  
"I'm sorry..." he whispered in her ear before giving it a kiss then left a trial of kisses down her neck and around the light blue skin there. "I love you."  
  
It was as if those three words solved every problem they ever had. In a soft voice she said them back, knowing she meant the words and believing him when he said them as well. He kissed her pink lips again and eventually she felt herself kissing him back. It was almost reluctantly though as she had no means of taking this any further. Not tonight. Tonight she had to meet up with Bitter and together they would see the doctor that could solve all her problems.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Bumlets waited until the girl beside him feel asleep before quietly slipping out of the bed. He gathered his clothes from the floor and slowly began to put them back on. He was exhausted. Far more exhausted then he had been in a while but found sleep nearly impossible. After all, why sleep when you know you can't have what you dream about? It was like some cruel joke the universe was playing on him. He longed for Flare but deep down knew he could never be with her. Not in the way he wanted to and not without jeopardizing their friendship.  
  
He made his way out of the brothel then started walking towards Brooklyn where the New York nightlife flourished. Surely he could find something to occupy his mind there. A dance hall, a tavern... anything to release his mind of the frustration it felt.  
  
He saw hookers on the streets and homeless bums begging anyone who walked by them for money or food. And then he saw Bitter walking down the street opposite of his direction. He guessed she was going back to the lodging house to talk to Flare so he turned and followed. Stopping her, he allowed himself to smile at the blonde but it was quickly replaced with a frown.  
  
"How is she?"  
  
Bitter knew all to well of the 'she' Bumlets was referring to but she put on an innocent grin and continued on her way.  
  
"Who?" She asked teasingly.  
  
He jogged up beside her, running a hand through his sweat stained hair. She knew where he had been but wouldn't confront him about it and he knew that so he didn't bother to try and hide his exhausted state.  
  
"Come on Bitter..." he licked his lips and sighed. "How is she?" He repeated becoming slightly irritated that she hadn't answered him the first time.  
  
Bitter rolled her green eyes. "I should have never told you..." she muttered to herself then remembered why she had. If Flare came right out and told him along with everyone else he never would have been able to handle the news without getting upset or punching Snitch. "She's fine, Bums. Just fine."  
  
"You going to see her now?" He asked, taking a cigarette out of his pocket, lighting it and walking along side her.  
  
She sighed, stealing the cigarette from his hand and taking a long, hungry drag from it then tossing it onto the streets. All he ever seemed to care about anymore was Flare. She had changed him, Bitter wasn't sure quite how but she had. She had been realizing it for a while now but just could never bring herself to believe it.  
  
When she didn't answer him he groaned a bit in annoyance. What was her problem? Here she was ignoring him when all he wanted to do was make sure Flare was okay and that she wasn't going to be with Snitch that night. Grabbing her wrist roughly he turned her around to face him. Just as he was about to repeat his question the girl yanked her wrist free and punched his jaw then hurried down the road.  
  
Who the hell did he think he was? He knew she hated being grabbed like that. He knew that! Yet he did it anyway. He was starting to scare her, she didn't want to admit it but he was. He was different but still she knew he meant no harm.  
  
Bumlets sighed to himself and rubbed his jaw then rushed up to Bitter, draping his arm over her shoulder and kissing her cheek. She scowled a bit and crossed her arms over her chest. He hadn't meant to hurt her and he gave her an apologetic smile.  
  
"Didn't hurt ya, did I?"  
  
She glanced at him again but this time with a faint smirk. "With that wimpy grip? I'd be surprised if you could hurt anyone."  
  
He had hurt her though and her wrist was red from the assault. Still, she pretended it didn't and smiled back at him when she saw that he was smiling. Damn that smile. The crush she had on him vanished long ago but she still found herself attracted to that smile of his.  
  
They walked like that in silence for the majority of the trip---with his arm around her like that the two looked more like a couple then they did friends. Bitter liked the silence, for her it was a relief from the constant worries Bumlets expressed towards Flare. Bumlets however found the silence unsettling. Almost as if Bitter was hiding something from him. Some dark secrete that her usually talkative self refused to speak much of around the matter for fear of letting it out. The silence was soon broken when Bumlets cleared his throat and looked at her.  
  
"She's not keeping the baby... is she."  
  
It was more of a statement then a question but it was one that still would have required an answer from her. She wondered if she should tell him. With either answer there was no way to spare his feelings. If she told him she was keeping it he'd get upset that she was having, supposedly, Snitch's child but still, if she said she was getting rid of it he'd be equally upset. She stayed quiet and once again silence consumed them.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Snitch lay sleeping on the bed in the guest room, exhausted and with his pants just barely pulled back up around his waist. Flare had tired him out without having to tire herself out, something she did on the nights when she was too worn out to perform. She sat by the window and watched the people walking along the streets that night. Why wasn't Bitter there yet? She was supposed to be at the lodging house nearly ten minutes ago. Running late. She was always running late.  
  
Flare ran her hand around her abdomen and sighed to herself, she was doing the right thing. Though Snitch didn't know it, she still sold her body for money---if Snitch ever found this out he'd kill her... he was far too possessive over her---and the last thing she needed was to be pregnant right now.  
  
She saw Bitter and Bumlets coming down the road and quickly raced out of the guest room and went outside. Bumlets stopped in his tracks when he saw her. She looked even more beautiful at night under the street lights then she ever had been in the sunlight. He wondered why he never noticed just how attracted he was to her before. The two had been friends for nearly a year after all.  
  
"Hey Bitter," she said then turned to look at Bumlets and grinned flirtatiously, "Heya Bums."  
  
It was a habit she couldn't break, even as her insides ached at the events she knew were to come later that night. She was like this to almost every guy, leading them on, teasing them, making it out like she wanted them but never following through. Not unless they paid of course. Even with Bumlets, one of her best friends, she still found the need to flirt, completely oblivious to the fact he was in love with her.  
  
"You ready to go?" Bitter asked, pushing a lock of her hair back up under her gray cap with the rest of her short blonde mane.  
  
Flare frowned a bit. She knew she needed to do this but a part of her was still uncertain as to if she was doing the right thing. Bumlets looked between the two girls before again his eyes rested on Flare.  
  
"Where you two going?" He asked then looked at Flare more closely as she tossed her black hair over her shoulder, reveling the bruise from Snitch's hand. "Shit Flare..." he walked up to her and Bitter followed. "What happened to you?"  
  
This wasn't the first time he had seen Flare with marks on her body. He had always had his doubts on how she acquired them---she'd say there were from running into a wall or dealing with an angry customer---but seeing the hand mark on her neck proved his earlier theory that Snitch was hitting her. Bitter knew it then too, though a part of her she was sure had always known.  
  
"It's nothing." Flare told them, brushing her dark locks back over her shoulder to cover the bruise.  
  
Bitter and Bumlets glanced at each other with a frown. Both knowing it wasn't nothing but neither wanting to upset her by questioning her. Bitter looked at Bumlets on last time before going to Flare and taking her arm gently in her grasps, tugging her along.  
  
"Come on, let's go..."  
  
Bumlets watched as the two girls he cared most about walked down the street. He wanted to know where they were going and was tempted to follow them but restrained himself. Then, waiting until he could no longer see either of them, he walked inside and went up the wooden stairs to the bunk room.  
  
There were already some newsboys in there when he entered. He really didn't want to be around anyone at that moment and wished it had been empty; at least Snitch wasn't around though. He didn't think he'd even be able to look at Snitch anymore without wanting to punch him. Making his way over to his bunk he fell back on it, the thin pillow doing little to comfort his head. His eyes closed as he tried to fall asleep.  
  
"Hey Bums." Bumlets opened his eyes and groaned slightly at the short boy smoking a cigarette, smoke clouding around him. "You, ah, you tell her yet?"  
  
Of course he hadn't told her. When had he had the chance? She was always with Snitch and how could he tell her now that she was pregnant? Besides, even when she wasn't with Snitch he was the one who was away, getting drunk in some bar or sleeping with some girl. Everyday the boys in that house asked him that and each day he told them the same thing.  
  
"No," Bumlets said, closing his eyes again.  
  
A short laugh came from the doorway as Skittery stepped into the bunk room. "How'd you expect him to tell her if he spends all his time in cat houses fucking whores?"  
  
"Aww... lay off him, Skit." Racetrack told him.  
  
"Sure, I get to lay off him but every whore this side of Manhattan gets to either lay on him or under him. Every whore but the one he wants that is."  
  
Bumlets' eyes opened at the mention of Flare being a whore. He hated it when people called her that even though it was true. He knew it was too, he just hated hearing people say it.  
  
"She's not a whore." He said firmly, sitting up on his bunk and glaring at Skittery.  
  
"Oh no? Then how come she seems to screw every damn guy in the city but you?" He shrugged a bit and sat down on his bunk, removing his shoes. "Who knows, maybe Snitch'll let you use her for the night. And maybe after you're done with her I'll have a go-around with the little slut."  
  
Almost as if acting on instinct Bumlets lunged at the other boy, knocking him back on the bed then punching him as hard as he could before Skittery even had a chance to realize what was happening. He got in a couple more hits but was then pulled away by Mush and Kid Blink with quite a bit of effort.  
  
"What the hell's your problem!?" Skittery yelled, sitting up and wiping the blood from his mouth.  
  
"Don't talk about her like that!" He shook himself free from the two newsboys' grips then backed up a little, glaring and keeping his eyes locked with Skittery's hazel ones.  
  
"Why the hell not? It's the truth ain't it?" He started calming down some then sighed. "She's a slut Bums. Snitch has got her at his beck and all and she don't care about nobody else. There are a ton of better girls around here."  
  
Bumlets sighed heavily and ran one strong hand through his hair. There was no one better then Flare. Skittery didn't know what he was talking about. He couldn't stay there that night. He had too much on his mind and knew he wouldn't be able to sleep. He shook his head then quickly left the bunk room, going outside.  
  
~*~*~  
  
"You sure about this?" Bitter asked Flare as they reached the building where the man who would perform the abortion lived.  
  
He had told the girls he was a real doctor but they had their doubts. What kind of a doctor sent you to their home to operate on you? Then again, abortion was illegal. He was cheap though and with both their money combined it was all they could afford. Flare swallowed hard and took a deep breath then nodded.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure."  
  
They walked up to the front door and Bitter knocked on it softly then stepped back, waiting for an answer. After a few moments the door opened and a tall, round man with a graying beard stood before them. He licked his thin lips a bit and looked at them.  
  
"Come in," he opened the door wider to allow for their entrance and took both girls inside.  
  
Bitter had been told to wait in the living room while the man took Flare down to the basement. There was one steel table in the middle of the room and a bunch of medical supplies scattered around on the counters and cabinets. Flare slowly looked around the room, taking it all in. This wasn't what she had expected it to look like.  
  
"Put this on," he told her, handing her a thin article of clothing.  
  
Flare did as she was told; shedding her shirt and pants then slipping on the robe the man had given her. She could feel his eyes on her as she undressed; his breath quickening slightly. He cleared his throat and she turned to face him.  
  
"Take those off too." The man said, pointing in the direction of her undergarments. "Then sit on the table."  
  
Again, she did as he bid, dropping them to the ground then sitting down on the table in the room, it was cool against her white skin and she shivered a little. She sat there, awaiting further instructions which came almost instantly. He ordered her to lie down and spread her legs as he brought up a needle and flicked the tip of it. Flare obliged, her blue eyes fixated on the needle. He injected it into her without even bothering to tell her what it was first. Then again, she never thought to ask.  
  
"It'll take a few minutes to work," he told her in a raspy voice.  
  
The anesthetic flowed through her veins and she could already feel herself losing all sensation in her lower region. It wouldn't be long now until everything was over. Just a few more moments and she'd no longer be pregnant.  
  
"You're going to feel some pressure but that should be it. Don't worry, I've done this before."  
  
His words were not as reassuring as she would have liked them to be and the tone of his voice and the grin that sat upon his lips gave her an uneasy feeling. She really hoped this man knew what he was doing. Nothing could go wrong.  
  
She felt a small amount of pain as he opened her cervix a little with a large metal instrument. It wasn't a great pain but it was still enough to make her cry out. Her eyes closed tightly and she vowed not to open them until this whole ordeal was over with. She didn't want to see what he was doing to her. With her vision now gone her other senses began to sharpen. She could hear his shallow breathing, then the clanking of the tools he was moving around and then more pain as he inserted a thin object into her.  
  
Her tooth penetrated her lip when she bit down to keep herself from screaming. A few tears squeezed their way out from her tightly closed eyelids and down her face. She could feel the fetus being pulled from her uterus with the tool which apparently had a hook at the top of it. She just wanted it all to be over. It didn't take long.  
  
Warm blood trickled down her thighs and the man grabbed a few rags, cleaning blood off the young seventeen year old. He then backed away and smiled at her but was forced to lightly slap her face before she dared opened her eyes.  
  
"Is it over?" She asked him, her eyes watering.  
  
The man nodded. "Yeah. Get dressed and leave."  
  
~*~*~  
  
Bumlets hurried down the road, dust flying up from the ground with each step he took. He didn't know where he was going; he just needed to get out of that place. He sighed heavily and ran a hand through his knotted, wind- blown hair. The streets seemed to be even more crowded at night then they were during the day. He pushed past a few people who stepped in his way then decided where he should go. He quickly walked in the direction of the nearest whorehouse he knew of... the same one he had been to only hours before.  
  
"Bumlets!" He stopped when he heard his name then looked around for the owner of the voice. "Hey Bums! Wait up!"  
  
Snitch came running up to the other boy smiling but stopped when he saw Bumlets glaring at him. All Bumlets wanted to do was punch him for what he did to Flare. He knew Snitch was stronger then him but he could defiantly fight better. Though if he hit Snitch Flare would never forgive him. No matter how much he wanted to kill the bastard standing in front of him he knew he couldn't. He wasn't going to loose even the smallest chance he may have had with Flare by beating up her current love.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"What's with you?" Snitch asked at Bumlets rude behavior. "I just came to ask if you've seen Flare. I woke up and she was gone... the guys said you left and I figured since you and her are close friends I'd ask if you knew. So, do you?"  
  
"She went out with Bitter not too long ago. Probably still with her."  
  
"Damn..." he sighed and fixed his bowlers hat. "You have any idea what's been wrong with her lately?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Don't give me that shit. She's been acting all weird for weeks now and she won't tell me what's wrong. I know she told Bitter and odds are Bitter told you. Come on. Tell me. I'm worried about her."  
  
Damn him. It amazed him that Snitch could act like such a sweet caring friend but then beat up on Flare. It didn't make sense to him. He could never understand how anyone could hurt a girl but then still pledge their love to them. He looked at Snitch and shrugged, beginning to walk away.  
  
"Maybe you should talk to her..."  
  
"Well, can't you just tell me?" He asked him, walking beside him. "Bumlets if you know something tell me. She's my fiancée for God's sake! I have a right to know if something's wrong with her!"  
  
Bumlets stopped. Fiancée? They were engaged!? Why hadn't Flare told him? Why didn't Bitter tell him? He couldn't believe it. He stood there in shock, his throat becoming dry. Swallowing hard he looked over at Snitch, suddenly coming to the realization that he and Flare would never be together. Everything he had ever hoped for came apart in those few seconds and he seemed to forget the fact that Snitch beat Flare and about the promise he made to Bitter.  
  
"She's pregnant." Bumlets told him quietly.  
  
Snitch stared at him wide-eyed. Bumlets watched as the young man's face went from surprised to upset and then finally to angry. He muttered a few incoherent words then took off down the road. Bumlets watched him then hung his head, stuck his hands in his pockets and proceeded to the whorehouse, unaware at what he had just did.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Tears still slipping down her face, Flare walked back to the girls' lodging house with Bitter at her side. They hadn't spoken a word since they left the building. None knew what to say to the other. Flare was already starting to get depressed, her mind was at a constant struggle with itself as to if she did the right thing or not... and the part that thought she hadn't was winning. Bitter wanted just to tell her everything would be all right but knew that was a lie. Deep down in the pit of her stomach she knew nothing would ever be all right again.  
  
"I'm going to see Bumlets. You should get some rest. Go to bed." Bitter said, entering the lodging house.  
  
"I think I'm just gonna stay down here for a while." Flare said as she sat down on the old gray couch in the lobby. She was thankful all the other girls were already asleep or at least already up in the bunk room.  
  
"Want me to stay with you?"  
  
Flare shook her head and Bitter waited a moment in case she changed her mind then headed back outside to look for Bumlets. The raven haired girl watched her go then sighed and fell back on the couch. She was starting to become sore as a result of the abortion and with each move seemed to come pain. She laid there as still as she could and closed her eyes, trying to clear her mind and maybe fall asleep.  
  
She had only been laying there for a matter of minutes before the door flew open and an enraged Snitch stormed in. Flare jumped to her feet and backed away from him. She knew he was upset but she didn't know why. He went over to her and grabbed her long locks, pulling her away from the wall then slapping her.  
  
"Get outside."  
  
He pushed her to the door, knowing that if she made too much noise inside one of the other girls would come down and interrupt him. Flare quickly left the safety of the lodging house, not wanting to upset him anymore then he already was, despite the pain she was feeling. He came at her again this time grabbing her arm and throwing her up against the front of the building.  
  
"You pregnant?" He asked. Flare quickly shook her head but that only resulted in another hard slap. "Bumlets said you are."  
  
"I'm not!" She told him truthfully.  
  
Snitch raised one large fist and struck her again. Flare screamed and dropped to the ground, covering her face where she was hit. He kicked her in her side and again she screamed, tears streaming down her face. She didn't understand. She had told him she wasn't pregnant. Why didn't he believe her?  
  
"Don't you lie to me you filthy cunt! Did you get rid of it? Is that it? You kill the thing?" He kicked her again.  
  
"Stop it! Please! I love you! Please stop!"  
  
No one on the streets that night bothered helping the crying girl. They glanced at the fighting couple but then went on their way. Who cared about a couple of street rats anyway? Snitch seized her arm and dragged her to the closest alley he could find just in case a patrolling police officer walked by. The man tossed her to the ground again and spat obscenities at her, kicking her all the while in her sides. Flare clutched her sides and begged Snitch to stop but her please fell on deaf ears. Nothing could stop him.  
  
"How could you do this?!" He screamed. "You lying little slut! You did kill it, didn't you?! You got yourself pregnant and then you killed my child!"  
  
He brought her to her feet and punched her face, his other hand wrapped around her wrist. Flare screamed and trembled, sobbing hysterically. She could feel her face start to swell and she already knew she had a few broken ribs. There was nothing else for her to do but stand there and take his beatings. She thought if he ever did find out about the abortion he'd be pleased. He had told her time and time again he didn't want a child with her now and if she did get pregnant he'd get rid of it for her. So then why was he hurting her now? She didn't think she'd ever understand him.  
  
She was again thrown onto the ground and her head hit a nearby rock, slitting it open a little and letting blood seep out from the open wound. She felt as though she was about to die. With the blood dripping from her head and the man she was suppose to marry kicking her broken body she didn't think she could take anymore.  
  
~*~*~  
  
She was going to marry Snitch, he still couldn't believe it. He never thought to think what Snitch would do to Flare once he confronted her about the pregnancy and he was too busy wallowing in his own self-pity to realize he would hurt her.  
  
He stopped outside the brothel and stared at it. Was this how he was supposed to spend his life? Drifting from one whorehouse to the next simply because he couldn't have the girl he loved? He sighed and shook his head. His life use to be so simple.  
  
He didn't go in, instead he sat down on the nearest bench and covered his face with his hands. He wasn't sure how long he had been sitting there but when he looked up Bitter was standing in front of him, her short hair falling into her face from the light summer breeze. She sat down beside him and put her arm around him, giving him a small hug.  
  
"Where'd you two go?" Then he looked over at her. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"She's didn't keep the baby. I wanted to tell you she was fine but you weren't at the guys' house so I kinda figured you'd be at one of these places."  
  
Bumlets drew in a deep breath, "As if this day couldn't get any worse. She and Snitch are getting married..."  
  
"I know," she told him. She had known for a long while now.  
  
Bumlets shook his head and put his face back in his hands, feeling as though he was about to cry. Bitter watched him helplessly. Here she was watching one of her best friends suffer and there was nothing she could do to make him feel better. She sat silently for a long time, letting her eyes linger on the boy beside her until finally came to her conclusion as to how she could help. Running a hand down the side of his face she forced him to look at her and when his dark eyes looked into her green ones she leaned forward and kissed him.  
  
It wasn't the kind of kiss you'd give your friend. It was the kind you'd give a lover but Bumlets didn't protest nor did he kiss her back. He simply sat there with his eyes closed as Bitter gently moved her lips against his.  
  
Breaking the kiss she looked into his eyes for a moment. They held no trace of anything other then utter confusion. Bitter was his best friend and a tomboy at that. He had never thought of what it'd be like to kiss her, to hold her.  
  
"Come with me." She told him, taking his hand in hers and leading him back to the lodging house.  
  
She took him into the guys' house and into the empty guestroom. All the guys had since went up to the bunk room to sleep. She sat him down on the bed and pursed her lips as she unbuttoned her blue shirt. Bumlets placed his hands on her hips when the shirt fell to the ground and laid her back on the bed.  
  
This time it was Bumlets who brought his face close to hers and kissed her. It wasn't Flare. He knew that. It would never be Flare and he made no attempt to pretend it was. Slowly, they helped each other with their clothes then stole awkward glances at each other when at last they lay naked together. Neither had ever seen the other nude before and for each it was quite a surprise. Bumlets would have never thought that underneath her boyish clothing Bitter had the body of a woman.  
  
He ran one hand through her short blonde hair and positioned himself on top of her, letting his right hand roam her body a little and feeling her respond to him. She was nowhere near as experienced as he was but she knew this would make him feel better, at least for a while and she rather he be with her then some whore.  
  
Slowly, he entered her, trying his hardest not to hurt her. She wasn't a virgin but he still had to be careful with her. Their rhythm was uneven at first but it soon became unified. Each trying only to please the other. They each reached their satisfaction at the same instant, shaking in each other's arms.  
  
Afterwards they lay together, Bumlets watching as Bitter slowly drifted off to sleep. Things would go back to the way there were tomorrow. They would never again speak of this night. It was if they had made some unspoken, mutual agreement that both knew about before they even began to make love.  
  
The dark-haired boy kissed Bitter gently on the lips when at last she fell asleep then climbed out of the bed. He pulled on his pants which had been discarded on the floor nearby then put on his shirt. He watched Bitter all the while sleeping. She was more then just a friend to him but he still believed he was in love with Flare so, with one more glance at the sleeping blonde, Bumlets left.  
  
~*~*~  
  
"Oh, shit."  
  
Bumlets ran into the alley and cradled the bloody and bruised Flare in his arms. Her body was shaking as death slowly started passing over her. He watched her and when it finally registered in his mind what was happening to her he began to cry. He knew Snitch had done this to her and he blamed himself for not being there for her. He felt helpless. There was nothing he could do to save her. It was already too late to take her to the hospital and he felt too weak to even carry her.  
  
She tried to speak but Bumlets stopped her, placing two fingers over her busted lips. "Don't speak," he told her softly.  
  
"I thought he wanted me to get rid of it. I don't know what I did wrong," she confessed despite his request for her to stay silent.  
  
"You didn't do anything wrong. Shhh, come on now. Try to rest." He had trouble getting out the words, he couldn't stand watching her die like this.  
  
She looked up and him and smiled some in spite of the pain she was feeling. As she closed her still vibrant blue eyes she reminded herself to thank him in the morning for being such a great friend to her. Both him and Bitter. They had always been there for her after she and Snitch fought and Bumlets had saved her from having to go home with a drunk customer more then once over the course of their friendship. She smiled to herself and then slowly passed away.  
  
He held her for hours. Then, long after she had already died, he let her go. Bumlets laid her back down on the ground and stood on shaky legs. Snitch wasn't going to get away with this but he knew the other boy wouldn't be coming back to the lodging house ever again so it would be up to him to find him. He would find him too and when he did, he'd kill him.  
  
He turned around and jumped slightly when he saw Bitter standing behind him, her face wet with fresh tears and looking as though she was about to collapse. He took a step forward and wrapped his arms, which were stained with Flare's blood, around her, kissing her forehead and holding her. They stood there together beside their slain friend as the night vanished and the morning sun rose up over the building, signifying the start of a new day and a new life for both of them.  
  
The End  
  
Special thanks to Bittah and Irish Flare for letting me use their characters! *hugs* And for Bittah again for bugging me everyday to get this story done. Couldn't have done it without you! 


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